Fiscal cliff would lead to major cuts for New York schools

2:13 PM,
Dec. 11, 2012

This Nov. 16, 2012 file photo, President Barack Obama, accompanied by House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, speaks to reporters in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington. President Barack Obama?s re-election has stiffened Democrats? spine against cutting popular benefit programs like Medicare and Social Security. Their new resolve could become as big a hurdle to reaching a deal for skirting economy-crippling tax increases and spending cuts in January as Republicans? resistance raising tax rates on the wealthy.

Written by

Jessica Bakeman
Albany Bureau

ALBANY -- New York schools would lose $164 million in federal funding for the 2013-14 school year if Congress does not find compromise on the nation's looming "fiscal cliff," according to a state School Boards Association analysis.

Lawmakers in Washington, D.C., must reach a deal by the end of the year to avoid higher taxes and federal funding cuts.

"The consequences of lawmakers not reaching agreement on the fiscal cliff are severe for students in New York schools, especially those in city school districts," Executive Director Timothy Kremer said in a statement. ...